Box cover



l Dec. 2s 192e. 1,612,166

A. U. BALDWIN 1 BOX COVER Filed May 2, 1925 /7/105 zoW//v 1 Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

STTS

AMOS U'. BALDJVIN, 0F NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

BOX COVER.

Application filed May 2, 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in covers for boxes of the type used for packing` berries, fruits, and the like wherein thin wooden strips are bent to form the bottom and the sides of a boi; or basket, the side portions being held by a metal strip crimped onto the upper edges thereof.

In packing berries, or other products in boxes or baskets of the character mentioned,

the top is left entirely open thus permitting dust and dirt to settle upon the top layer of the product and allowing the product to be readily spilled should the box be inadvertently tipped or inverted. My present invention is therefore directed to an improved cover for such bores or baskets, the primary object being,` to provide a cover which may be easily applied and which will efiectually be held to close the top of the boX.

Another object is to provide an improved cover which will permit the berries or other product to extend somewhat above the level of the top of the boi: without impairing` the operativeness of the cover.

A. further object ,is to provide an improved cover which may be used to effectually identify the product and, if desired, the producer.

Another object is to provide a device 50 which will reduce the amount of wrapping and tying necessary when the product is sold to retail trade.

A still further object is to provide a device of the character described which may be manufactured at a very nominal cost and which may be applied with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed in the draw ings forming a part of the present speciication wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar Yparts throughout said speciiication and drawings, and in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a boi; or basket provided with my improved cover.

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cover as cut, the ligure being drawn upon a somewhat smaller scale.

Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of the basket and cover as viewed from the side of Figi.

Fig. i is a broken plan view of one corner oi the cover and basket, the cover being partly broken away and shown in section.

Serial No. 27,541.

Referring to the drawings the numerall is used to designate in general a boX or basket of the type commonly used for packing', berries and fruits, said box consisting' of two thin strips of wood placed at riO'h't angles to each other and having their ends bent to form sides o'i the box or basket. The sides flare slightly toward the top of the basket and are held by means of a thin metal strip 2 crimped upon the upper edges of the sides in lthe well known manner. The vsides of the box are arranged to be held in slightly spaced relation so that openings 3 are formed alongthe corners of the box between adjacent edges of the side portions of the box. Slots 4 are formed in the side portions to afford ventilation to the portions ot' the product packed in the lower portion ofthe box. The strip Q forms a continuous band extending entirely around the upper edge of the box and is shaped to form rightangles around the corners of the boi; to deiine a square.

My improved cover consists of a flat body portion 6 cut from light cardboard or other suitable material of a size and shape adapted to cover the top of the box l, and provided with extensions 7 and 8 arranged to be folded downwardly to engage the sides of the box 1. The cover is cut as a dat cardboard blank and creased along the edges of the body portion 6 as at 9 whereby the exten sions may be readily folded to operative position.

rlhe extensions 7 are formed upon opposite sides ofthe body portion 6 and are adapted to be moved into engagement with the inside of the adjacent sides of the box. Tabs l() are formed upon the sides of the eX- tensions in spaced relation to the adjacent edges of the body portion 6, said tabs eX- tending outwardly from the edges of the eX- tension sufficiently to be engaged' by the' metal strip 2 as hereinafter more fully eX- plained.

The extensions 8 are formed upon the other opposite sides ofthe body portion G and are adapted to be folded downwardly against'the outside of the adjacent sides of the box l. The extensions 8 are provided with tabs 1l formed by oppositely inclined angularly disposed slots l2 cut in the outer edges of the extension at points substantially opposite the slots flformed in the sides of the box.

lili) liti As above mentioned the cover is cut from flat sheet materia-l and is normally shipped and stored in flat condition. ln operation the cover is applied to a box l by bending the extensions 7 and S downwardly along the creases 9 to engage the sides of the box. rllhe extensions T are moved to engage the inner .sides or" the adjacent ,sides of the box, the

extensions and tabs l0 being bent sut'ficiently to permit said tabs to pass the band 2 and thereafter straightened so as to cause the tabs l0 to extend outwardly through the openings 3 in the corners oi' the box. rlhe extensions are thus positioned in such manner as to engage the underside of the corner portions of the band 2 and ei'ectually hold the cov r upon the box. The tabs are spaced trom the edges of the body portion l so as to afford a limited sliding movement of the cover relative to the box and to permit the cover to'be held in spaced relation above the top of the box so as to permit vthe fruit to be paclred to a point slightly above the level of the top of the box.

After the extensions 7 and thc tabs l0 `nave been moved to engage the box as above explained the tabs 8 are bent to engage the outer sides of the adjacent sides et the box. rEhe tabs ll are then inserted through the slots d in the sides of the box l as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings., thereby eiiectually holding the extensions 8 against the sides ot the box, and cooperate with the tabs l0 to hold the cover upon the box.

The cover as thus applied and lheld upon the top ot' the box eitectually retains the product Within the box and protects the product from dirt and dust. rlhe cover also serves to protect the upper layers of the fruit or berries Jfrom bruising during shipment and facilitates the stacking of the boxes tor shipment. It desired the cover may be printed With any appropriate subject matter to identify the product and its grower or packer and thus serve to advertise the goods of a particular individual or firm.

ers the cover is effectually retained in position, the amount of wrappingand tying ordinarily7 required when the product is sold to the retail trade is reduced. Thus Where ordinarily a heavy paper wrapper is appliedV to protect the product and to prevent the spilling or loss of the product, the cover itself serves this purpose and the boxes require little it any Wrapping to place them in a deliverable condition. This fact effects a saving which substantially offsets the cost ot the covers.

The cover may be made in various sizes to t the several sizes ot boxes used tor packing different kinds of berries and fruits. l'n all cases the extensions and tabs are suiiiciently small and flexible to enable the cover to be applied with very little time or etlort and the increased cost of packing due to the applying of the covers is so small as to be negligible in comparison with the advantages derived.

The .speciiic form and arrangement ot the several parts ot my improved cover may oif course be modied Vin various ways Without departing from the spirit of my invention. l therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the speciiic vstructure shown but Wish to avail myseli ot all modifications which may tall vvithin Ithe scope o'l the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as neiv and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. A vcover for berry boxes and the like comprising a flat body portion adapted to cover the top ot a box having a `band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon opposite sides of the body portion and adapted to be folded downwardly Yinto engagement With the ad jacent sides oi the box; and means termed Aon the extensions and adapted to engage the underside ot the band in openings formerV in the corners ot `the box for normally holding the cover upon the box.

2. cover tor berry bor-.zes and the lilre comp ising a 'flat body portion adapted to cover the top of a box having a band at its upper edge J'or holding the sides oi the box; extensions formed upon opposite sides ot the body portion and adapted to be 1folded downwardly into engagement with the adjacent sides of the box; and tabs termed upon the sides ot' the extensions and adapted to extend through kopenings formed in the cor` ners ot the box and to `engtg'e the underside of the band for normally holding the cover upon the box. y

3. A cover for berry boxes Vand the like comprising a iiat body vportion adapted to cover the top of a box having a band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon opposite sides ot' the body portion and adapted to be folded downwardly into engagement vWith the adjacent sides of the box; and tabs formed upon the sides of the extensions and adapted to extend through openings termed in the corners ot the box and to engage the underside of the band for normally holding the cover upon the box. said tabs being spaced from the adjacent edges of the body portion to permit the cover to be held in spaced rew lation to the top ot the box.

4E. A `cover for berry boxes and the like comprising` a fiat body portion adaptedto cover the `top ot a box having a band at its upper edge Jfor holding the sides ot the box; extensions formed upon opposite sides ot" the body portion and adapted to be folded down to be received inside the adjacent sides of the box; and tabs formed upon the sides ot the extension in .spaced lrelation to the adjacent edges ot the body portion, said tabs lOl) beingl adapted to extend outwardly through openings formed in the corners of the box and to engage the underside of the band for normally holding the cover upon the box and in slightly spaced relation to the top thereof.

5. A cover for berry boxes and the like comprising a flat substantially square body portion adapted to Cover the top of a box having a band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon the sides of said body Jortion and adapted to be folded downwar ly into engagement with the sides of the box; and means formed upon the extensions and adapted to engage the underside of the band in openings formed in the box for normally holding the cover upon the box.

6. A cover for berry boxes and the like comprising a flat substantially square body portion adapted to cover the top of a box havin@ a band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon the sides of said body portion and adapted to be folded downwardly into engagement with the sides of the box, two opposite extensions being reoeived inside the adjacent sides and the other two extensions being adapted to engage the outer side of the adj a cent sides of the box; and means formed upon the inner extensions and yadapted to engage the underside of the band in openings formed in the box for normally holding the cover lupon the box.

'i'. A cover for berry boxes and the like comprising a fiat substantially square body portion adapted to cover the top of a box having a band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon the sides of said body portion and `adapted to be folded downwardly into engagement with the sides of the box, two opposite exn tensions being received inside Vthe adjacent sides and the other two extensions being folded against the outside of the adjacent sides of the box; tabs formed upon the inner extensions and adapted to extend outwardly through openings formed in the corners of thefbox and to engage the underside of the band and tabs formed upon the outer edges of the outer extensions to engage slots formed in the sides of the box and oo-operating with the iirst named tabs to normally hold the cover upon the box.

8. A cover for berry boxes and the like comprisine` a flat substantially square body portion adapted to cover the top of a box having a band at its upper edge for holding the sides of the box; extensions formed upon the sides of said body portion and adapted to be folded into engagement with the sides of the box7 two opposite extensions being received inside the adj aeent sides and the other two extensions being folded against the outside of the adjacent sides of the box; tabs formed upon the inner extensions and adapted to extend outwardly through openings formed in the corners of the box; and tabs formed upon the outer edges of the outer extensions to engage the underside of the band in slots formed in lthe sides of the box to normally hold the cover upon the box; said tabs being positioned in .spaced relation to the adjacent edges of the body portion to permit a limited sliding movement of the cover relative to the box and to normally hold the cover in spaced relation to the top of the box.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

Ali/IOS U. BALDVIN. 

